This Stir Fried Wild Rice – or Minnesota Fried Rice as we refer to it around here – is inspired by a dish my mother used to make. I really need to sit down with her and figure out what that amazing dish consisted of one of these days. It was the most wonderful kind of “comfort food,” and an…
Read More
These Spiced Pumpkin Mini Cakes are moist and aromatic with lots of pumpkin flavor punctuated by brandy and brown butter infused dried cranberries and delicious toasted walnuts. They are, as my husband said after he took his first bite, “like Thanksgiving in your mouth.” Here in the Midwest, we live for the change of seasons but we do tend to…
Read More
These hearty Blackened Steak Tacos with Pumpkin, Sweet Corn & Red Bean Salsa have recently become one of our favorite ways to break into pumpkin season. I’m using the term “salsa” loosely here as I’m not sure it’s technically a salsa (salsa experts, I’d love your opinion here!). But we’re serving it as a salsa, so that’s how we’re going…
Read More
Homemade Blackening Seasoning Mix This Homemade Blackening Seasoning Mix is a flexible, flavorful staple in my kitchen. Whether we’re grilling steaks, cooking shrimp in cast iron, or roasting vegetables in the oven, this savory and spicy seasoning mix adds depth and robustness to our meals. This recipe was originally published October 2017. Photos and recipe updated August 2022. My love…
Read More
This Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cake has only 3 ingredients! The recipe came up years ago during a conversation about fall desserts with recipe-loving co-workers. That very night, I made a similar version of this cake based on my office mate’s recollection of the recipe she was given years before that. The following day, the experimental cake I brought to the…
Read More
After seeing several social media posts about a photo contest hosted by CuttingBoard.com, I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to join in. Especially after noting that they had chosen #CutTheCheese2017 as their hashtag. Clearly, these folks have a sense of humor in addition to some of the most beautiful cutting boards and other gorgeous wooden serving and kitchen pieces I’ve ever…
Read More
Mocha Rum Balls Rum Balls are perfect bite-sized treats with little attitude – and they can be made with brandy, too! Boozy treats like this are always a great addition to holiday dessert trays and cookie collections just because they’re so darn good. This recipe was originally published in September 2017. Updated February 2022. I started making this recipe several…
Read More
Some of our favorite recipes – like this Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad with Asparagus, Peas and Dill – come about in the humblest of ways. There’s nothing fancy or romantic about how the recipe came to be… I simply needed to use up some ingredients. The combination, in my humble opinion, was so good… Good enough to want to make it again…
Read More
Until a week ago, I had only admired the golden gorgeousness of chanterelle mushrooms from afar, hoping I’d get my hands on some of my very own one day. Not unlike the madness that surrounded my first-ever morels earlier this summer – generously gifted by a friend, and thoroughly enjoyed with both grilled steaks and fresh Lake Superior Lake Trout – chanterelles…
Read More
‘Island’ Queso Cheese Dip This fancy little Queso Cheese Dip is everything you love about creamy, dreamy queso — with an added twist or two! Sweet pineapple and colorful peppers are combined with creamy cheese and tangy jalapenos to create a uniquely flavorful, snackable, dip-able, drizzle-able queso cheese dip that everyone will love! Post updated – May 2021: This recipe…
Read More
Sheet Pan Shrimp and Roasted Vegetables This Sheet Pan Shrimp and Roasted Vegetables recipe is easy, casual meal with all kinds of options for enjoying fresh, seasonal produce. Just grab a couple of sheet pans and bowls, and get ready to enjoy a healthy, beautiful dish in less than an hour! A summertime trip to the Farmers Market yielded a new-to-me…
Read More
This super simple Carnival Rice Dish with Cilantro and Lime is our Southwestern Go-To! It was inspired by a wonderful and equally simple Crispy Salsa Chicken recipe from my friend Adam who shares his refreshingly witty recipes on a blog called The Unorthodox Epicure. I had a jar of my friend Carla’s homemade salsa sitting in the pantry, and Adam’s…
Read More
If we’ve known each other for a while, you know I have a fondness for seafood. Grilled shrimp and really good Classic Shrimp Cocktail are both right up on top of my list of faves. The shrimp has to be super fresh and (of course) prepared well. If cleaned right away and properly handled prior to serving, the light, sweet flavor…
Read More
